ST. LOUIS (USBWA) The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected the Northwestern forward Drew Crawford as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Feb. 2. The USBWA's weekly honor is presented by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook and is announced exclusively on SiriusXM Radio's "Inside College Basketball."
As the Big Ten Conference Co-Player of the Week, Crawford was nominated for the weekly award, which was chosen by a representative of the USBWA board of directors from a list of Division I conference players of the week. This is the fifth season that the USBWA has selected a national player of the week.
Crawford, a 6-5 senior from Naperville, Ill., turned in a pair of strong performances in Northwestern's road wins at No. 14 Wisconsin and Minnesota. For the week, he averaged 23.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and three assists. Crawford shot a combined 66.7 percent (16-of-24) from the field in the two games and an eye-popping 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from beyond the arc.
Crawford played all 40 minutes against Wisconsin and poured in a season-high 30 points, adding eight rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal in the victory at the Kohl Center last Wednesday. He followed up with a game-high 17 points, four rebounds and three assits in Northwestern's one-point victory in Minneapolis.
Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson. It is the nation's oldest award and the only one named after a former player.
At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership. The winner of the Oscar Robertson Trophy will be presented by its namesake, Oscar Robertson, at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 14 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. The Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award and the Integris Wayman Tisdale Freshman of the Year Award will also be presented at the gala to be held annually the Monday following the NCAA Men's Final Four.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and the Oscar Robertson Trophy, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.
Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, the most comprehensive college basketball publication in the world, returns for its 33rd season, bigger and better in 2013-14. Blue Ribbon long-known as "The Bible of College Basketball" · gives its readers the most thorough, up-to-date and timely evaluations of every Division I team in the country. For more information about Blue Ribbon Yearbooks, visit
blueribbonyearbookonline.com.
2013-14 Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week
Week of Dec. 8: Dustin Hogue, Iowa State (Big 12 Conference)
· Week of Dec. 15: Marcus Paige, North Carolina (Atlantic Coast Conference)
· Week of Dec. 22: Aaric Murray, Texas Southern (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
· Week of Dec. 29: DeAndre Kane, Iowa State (Big 12 Conference)
· Week of Jan. 5: Willis Hall, College of Charleston (Colonial Athletic Association)
· Week of Jan. 12: Doug McDermott, Creighton (Big East Conference)
· Week of Jan. 19: Naadir Tharpe, Kansas (Big 12 Conference)
· Week of Jan. 26: Nik Stauskas, Michigan (Big Ten Conference)
· Week of Feb. 2: Drew Crawford, Northwestern (Big Ten Conference)
· Week of Feb. 9: Melvin Ejim, Iowa State (Big 12 Conference)
· Week of Feb. 16: Doug McDermott, Creighton (Big East Conference)
· Week of Feb. 23: Julius Randle, Kentucky (Southeastern Conference)